Sumatra to change Dar transport licensing

By Waryoba Yankami

6th February 2013

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Sumatra Acting Director General, Ahmed Kilima

The Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA) has announced that only companies owning at least 100 buses with carrying capacity of 70 passengers each; will be licensed to carry out the city’s commuter services.

Sumatra Acting Director General, Ahmed Kilima said this yesterday in Dar es Salaam during a meeting at which he urged transport stakeholders to merge their operations and form companies to meet the new criteria.

The move he said is meant to improving efficiency in the sector.

Kilima informed bus owners that from July 1, this year individual owners will not be licensed because it is very difficult for the authority to supervise individuals as the system has led to many drivers violating laws.

He told bus owners to have new vehicles that will compete with the coming new DART project or else commuter buses will be sidelined to provide such services.

“About 70 percent of buses in Dar es Salaam are old and have been operating for more than 17 years,” he noted.

For his part, Dar es Salaam Commuter Bus Owners Association (DARCOBOA) chairperson, Sabri Mabruk assured Sumatra that they are ready to form companies which will benefit with DART project.

However, Mabruk raised concern that the government is planning on demolishing commuter buses in order to benefit the DART project, promising that Darcoboa will fight to make sure they stay in the sector.

He noted that the completion of the DART project will eliminate almost 6,000 buses currently operating along Morogoro road whereby he asked Sumatra to find other routes for them rather than leaving them without a place to go.